The Upside-Down Office

It’s also much easier to do in new construction; many new buildings, including the Minneapolis Central Library, incorporate raised access floors from the very beginning. And while that allows architects and builders to address all the design issues—especially the need to isolate spaces that might be vulnerable to accidental plumbing leaks and flooding of the plenum, such as bathrooms and kitchens—up front, Holland says that the concept can work in existing spaces as well.

“It’s a different challenge,” he says. “You have to have ramps that connect the raised access spaces with those that aren’t raised access. You have to work that into the design. Retrofitting can certainly be done, but it’s easier if a space is built with it originally.”

Power, communication, and technology cables are more accessible under the floor—the cables can be reached and rearranged by simply lifting a tile, without using equipment such as ladders that might disrupt the work flow in the office. This accessibility makes renovating a space or moving workstations much simpler. The cables can be rerouted using simple tools and standardized connector pieces.

“Our clients are asking for flexibility,” Rolfshus says. “In most office spaces, there is a need for continued growth and for frequent changes. Especially in an open-office system, they want to be able to change the office space easily.”

Holland agrees. “That’s why we’re seeing more raised access floors in offices,” he says. “As cubicles move, you can more easily move all the necessary utilities to where the personnel are located.”

Mark Johnson, associate vice president of mechanical engineering at Hammel, Green & Abrahamson, says that most office managers appreciate not having to go through the ceiling to reconfigure wiring when workstations are shifted around. “You don’t have to touch anything above in the ceiling,” he says. “That’s generally seen as a benefit.”

Designers say that you have to be careful when a space is going to have several private offices built on top of raised access floors. “You can end up with some problems with sound transmission between the offices because of the cavity in the floor,” Rolfshus says. “But you can work around that. Basically, you need to isolate the sound with stud walls and insulation. If you know how the space is going to be used, you can make it work.”